Harper & Lee Plus Three

Running Tests

A week passed since I called Doctor Choi about Zophia. I wanted to wait until her fever broke before taking her to get her bloodwork. On top of that, baby Griffin came home a few days later.

    "Okay, so I wrote down what bottles everyone gets on here," I said, showing Sophia.

    "Harper, please. We got it!" she said.

    "Yeah, and I've got Raven!" Zoe said, holding up a baby.

    "That one is Robin, Zoe," I said to her.

    "Oh," she said.

    In the other room, John and Levi were on the sofa feeding Griffin and Hawk. Hazel was feeding Raven. Wren was asleep in her Mamaroo swing.

    I was so grateful for my family and Lee's family. They were coming over in shifts to help us with the five babies we had now. It was a lifesaver.

    "Ready Mommy!" said Zophia as she came down the stairs.

    "Okay, we're off," I said to everyone.

    "Take your time. Everything here will be fine," Sophia said.

    I got Zophia in the car and buckled her in. It was a freezing cold October day with snow flurries in the forecast for tonight. I put in the new Disney sing-along CD I had and did my best to sing along with Zophia. I wanted her to be as calm and happy as possible.

    "Okay Zozo, we're here," I said, pulling into the LabWorks parking lot.

I went to the back of the car and unbuckled her, then set her on the ground. I got her checked in and let her play a game on my phone. Happy and calm. Happy and calm was what I needed.

"Zophia?" a nurse said.

"Okay, that's us Zozo," I said.

We got up from our seats and I held her little hand as we walked down the hallway. I got her set up in the seat where she'd get her blood drawn.

"Remember, if you're big and strong today, we're going to the toy store," I said.

I was lying. I was going to take her to the toy store regardless of how she behaved. As long as the nurse got a successful blood draw, I was taking her. She was almost three. I couldn't have such crazy expectations.

"Okay Zophia, ready for a little poke?" the nurse asked.

I could see the fear in my little girl's eyes.

"It's just like we talked about, Zozo. It'll hurt for a little bit, but then it'll be done, and we'll go to the toy store," I said.

"And also a lollipop," said the nurse.

She fought me for a bit, but I was able to hold her arm still on the chair's armrest. I did my best to hug Zophia and kiss the top of her head, all while she cried the entire time. But after a few seconds, it was over. The nurse had her two vials of blood. Zophia had a lollipop and a sticker, and we were on our way to the toy store.

She was literally skipping as we walked across the parking lot. I was just glad to see her happy. I was so worried about her. Well, I still was. What if her bloodwork came up with something serious on it?

"Mommy! I want a Barbie!" Zophia said.

"Okay, let's go look at all the Barbies!" I said.

I walked with her into the chaos of the bright pink toy aisle filled with Barbies. There were so many to choose from. I was almost jealous. I always wanted a Barbie as a kid but never got one.

"Oh, Zozo, how about this one?" I asked, taking one off the shelves.

This Barbie doll was a mermaid princess that had brown skin and light hair, just like her.

"I want this one, Mommy!" she said, holding up a blond-haired, blue-eyed Barbie that came with roller skates and a skateboard.

"Oh how fun! But look at how this one looks so much like you, though. And you love mermaids!" I said.

She lifted up her Barbie box even higher. "This one looks like you, Mommy! I want one like you!"

"You want a doll that looks like Mommy?" I asked, trying to hold back tears. She was so cute.

"Uh-huh!" she said. "I have too many like Daddy!"

It was true. We really wanted to get them dolls that looked more like them because we wanted them to be proud of who they were: two beautiful brown girls.

"Okay. Let's get this one then!" I said. "Do you want to hold it?"

"Yeah!" she said.

    I walked with her to the checkout counter and we paid for the Barbie, which she started trying to open the second we got in the car. I let her. She had a rough day.

    When we got home, I started getting dinner ready for Lee and the triplets. It was going to be a simple chicken and rice night. I poured the rice and water in the rice cooker and popped the chicken in the oven.

    In the meantime, Sophia and John helped me give each one of the babies a bath and a bottle. With the right pillows propping them up, the triplets could also help feed, which was incredible. They loved giving the babies their bottles.

    After baths, all of my family members except Hazel went home. She stayed behind to help out with the dinner cleanup.

    "So, you ready for Halloween?" she asked, handing me a plate to put in the dishwasher.

    "You mean Mockoween? That's what Jamie is calling it," I said.

    "Hey, they gotta film you guys somehow. It'll be too much work for them to go around and blur out the faces of all the other kids running around on actual Halloween. And on the actual night you can leave the kids in."

    "The babies, yeah. Stanley and Talia are taking the triplets in their neighborhood on actual Halloween."

    "Aww! They'll love that!"

    "I hope so," I said, yawning.

    Life with five babies was impossible. As much as I wanted Phoenix home, I didn't know how I was going to survive, even with all this help.

    "Okay, last dish!" Hazel said, handing the plate to me. I put it in the dishwasher. "I'll be back after work tomorrow so I can clean while you're filming."

    "You're a lifesaver. Thanks," I said as she walked out the door.

    "Mommy! Mommy! Phone!" Ella said as she ran down the stairs, carrying my cell phone.

    "Oh, thank you very much, Ella!" I said, taking it from her.

    My heart dropped. I saw that it was the number from the Doctor's office.

    "Hello?" I said, picking up.

    "Hi Harper. It's Doctor Choi."

    "I know you're not supposed to call me unless you found something abnormal on the results, right?" I asked.

    "Yes...that's correct." She paused. "I'd like you and your boyfriend to both bring in Zophia tomorrow so I can discuss her bloodwork with you."

    "I...I have a crucial film day tomorrow. Is it okay to wait one more day?" I asked.

    "I wouldn't wait any longer than that," she said.

    "Okay. I'll get with Lee and we'll bring her in in two days," I said.

    We said our goodbyes and hung up. How could something like this be happening?